SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night thanked PFA Young Player of the Year Jermaine Jenas for helping to sustain his love of football.

Newcastle United midfielder Jenas succeeded teammate Craig Bellamy as the choice of his fellow professionals as the most outstanding young talent this season.

Jenas, who Robson signed from Nottingham Forest for £5m in February last year, is exactly 50 years his manager's junior.

The pair enjoyed a joint celebration in February this year when Robson turned 70 on the night Newcastle won 3-1 away to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

In the same month, Jenas made his England debut and Robson said: "He has done brilliantly. I'm delighted for him, just as I was thrilled for Craig Bellamy when he won the Young Player of the Year award last year.

"I bought both of them - spent a lot of money on them, too - and I put my judgement on the line and my neck on the block.

"But they have repaid both me and the club with interest.

"JJ has been fantastic this season and what he has achieved in the space of one year between the tender ages of 19 and 20, is of huge credit to him. What a rise he has had.''

The remarkable Robson admitted that his passion for football grows greater by the day.

And his contribution to the game during a 53-year career was saluted at the PFA's annual dinner in London on Sunday night.

Former England boss Robson, who won 20 caps for his country and made 584 senior appearances for Fulham and West Brom before launching into management, received a special Merit Award from the players' union.

When he took charge of boyhood heroes Newcastle over three-and-a-half years ago, Robson realised a lifetime dream.

Now he is hungrier than ever for success as he attempts to lead the Magpies into the Champions League for the second season running.

Despite his advancing years, Robson's appetite shows no sign of waning. "It's no big secret; it's all down to my love of football,'' he said. "I fell in love with the game as a kid and I am still in love with it now.

"In fact, even taking into account all my wonderful experiences with Ipswich, with England and then abroad, I would say that I'm probably enjoying management more now than at any other time of my career because I am working with an excellent, vibrant set of young players who keep me young.

"My brain has to be as bright and alert as theirs, otherwise I'm on a one-way ticket to nowhere.

"I'll know when the time has come to call it a day and I will sit down with the chairman and discuss my retirement, but I don't foresee that happening for a while yet.

"My health is good and I am enjoying myself, and as long as I continue to do so, I will carry on.''

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd will be delighted to hear that; Robson recently joked he would do everything in his power to bring the Premiership title to St James' Park - even if it took him until he was 100!

Cradling a cut-glass bowl commemorating his career, Robson added: "This is a wonderful surprise and a trophy I will treasure.

"It encases so many memories for me. It is overwhelming really.''

Shepherd reckons his club can complete a unique treble by winning three successive PFA Young Player of the Year awards.

He said: "I firmly believe we can go for the hat-trick next season.

"I would imagine Wayne Rooney will be in the running but just look at the players at St James' Park who are capable of pushing him all the way.

"JJ will be back in the frame and then there's Shola Ameobi, Hugo Viana and Darren Ambrose.

"When you look at the progress JJ has made in the last year, there's no reason why any one of those shouldn't come to the fore."

Sunday was a good night all round for Newcastle, who also saw skipper Alan Shearer honoured as the Premier League's 'Overall Player of the Decade'.

The bad news for Newcastle was confirmation that Shearer will sit out the final two games of the season after picking up an ankle injury in Saturday's 1-0 derby victory at Sunderland.

Shearer was yesterday due to undergo a scan to discover the full extent of the damage, but he said: "The doctor has seen the ankle and, while it does not look as though anything is broken, I can't play again this season."

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